South Side home jam-packed with African art

He is living out his passion in the most intimate way possible. A collector of African art, Daniel Parker has furnished his South Side home with the treasures he has traveled thousands of miles to find. So how do people respond when they learn about his home?

"Well, the reaction is, Do you really live here? I know you have a place somewhere else. And my reaction is, No," said Parker.

Parker is now an instructor at Chicago State University. He started collecting 35 years ago.

"You know before you look at the art you look at the people. Because it's the people who create the art, and you see their spirit, and once you capture that you're just drawn to the art," Parker said.

In building his collection, Parker has visited seven African countries, a journey he takes every other year.

Parker has written a book about the variety of art work he has assembled over the years.

"More than having created this collection, I think I have created an audience who would listen, be willing to and learn, will and will understand that the people of the African continent, as well as the African diaspora, are people who have brought a unique richness to the world," said Parker.

And to the question whether any of it is for sale?

"No, it all becomes part and parcel of who are, and your philosophical construct and your humanness, and that is not for sale," said Parker.